assurance
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a positive statement or promise that something is true or will definitely happen.
a declaration intended to inspire confidence or provide a guarantee of a particular outcome.
Simple“The manager gave us his personal assurance that the repairs would be finished by Friday.”
In context“Despite the director's repeated assurances that no jobs were at risk, the staff remained skeptical about the upcoming merger.”
UsageOften used with the verb 'give' or 'receive'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
a feeling of being certain about your own abilities.
confidence in one's own abilities or status; a state of being certain and undoubting.
Simple“She spoke with great assurance, even though it was her first time on stage.”
In context“The young diplomat handled the difficult negotiations with an assurance that belied his lack of experience in international affairs.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a type of insurance that pays out money when someone dies or after a certain amount of time.
a contract providing for the payment of a sum of money upon a specific event, typically used in British English for life-related contingencies.
Simple“He took out a life assurance policy to make sure his family was protected.”
In context“The financial advisor explained the technical distinction between term insurance and whole-life assurance policies.”
Teacher's tipIn British English, 'assurance' is often used for events that will definitely happen (like death), while 'insurance' is for things that might happen (like fire or theft).
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a legal document used to prove that property has been transferred from one person to another.
a legal instrument or deed used as evidence of the conveyance of real property.
Simple“The lawyer examined the old assurances to confirm who owned the land.”
In context“The validity of the claim rested upon a series of complex legal assurances dating back to the eighteenth century.”
Synonyms
“The 22-year-old central defender Charlie Hughes was Hull’s young player of the year last season and his assurance in possession and excellent passing range are bound to catch all sorts of Premier League eyes.”
“Throughout, Adès was quick to cede control during solos, which were delivered with frankly astonishing assurance.”
From Middle English assuraunce, from Old French asseürance, from asseürer; as if assure + -ance.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.